re: my mouse

Question
i have a mouse that seems to be scratching his ears alot..i also have a cat that likes to babysit him...im wondering if i can use that flea tick n mite drop on my mouse but of course much smaller dosage..like a small drop then the cat gets the rest..or if its ok to use an ear drop like i use for my cat..cuz hes too lazy to clean his own ears..lol

Answer
Hi Kitti,

The medication in cat flea treatments can be different chemicals and are very different doses.  Because of this, it would be very dangerous to mix treatments between the two animals.  Even if it were the same ingredient, using a drop does not allow you to calculate a safe dose that won't hurt the mouse, and inactive ingredients can also be different - there is no telling without a vet's help what ingredients have te potential to harm your pet mouse.

I don't know what ear drops you are referring to, but again, it is important to use something formulated for mice so you know it is safe.  The first thing to do is figure out what is causing the scratching - it may be mites, or it could also be a different parasite, or even allergies.  Since mites are fast and inexpensive to treat for, I recommend using a product called 8-in-1 Mite and Lice Spray for Birds.  They also make a rodent version, but the bird one is gentlest so I always recommend starting there.  It can be found at your local pet store or online.  It's important to remember to shake the bottle well before use and follow all instructions on the product.  You don't have to get the liquid on the ears for it to be effective, just try to get as much of the coat as you can (avoiding the eyes and face) and allow it to dry completely before putting your mouse back into the cage.  Additionally, at the same time you treat the mouse, it's crucial to clean completely the entire cage, replace the bedding, clean all toys and dispose of any absorbent cage items (like wooden toys - they can harbor more mites and cause a re-infestation after you treated).  The whole treatment and cage cleaning should be repeated 7-10 days later to get any mites that were eggs at the time of treatment the first time.

A tip to prevent incoming mites for the future is to freeze new beddng for 24 hours before thawing it for use - this will kill any little bugs that hitched a ride from the pet store!  :)

If you don't see any relief within the first 1-2 weeks, you may want to consider the other possibilities of itching, including allergies.  If you want you can write me back at that point and I can list the other options in more detail.

Best of luck, and let me know if you have any more questions!
-Tam